Markets
Today’s commodity market news. Featuring expert analysis from Michelle Rook, Jerry Gulke and Pro Farmer Editors.
Dave Chatterton with Strategic Farm Marketing says funds have sold and liquidated hard the last three weeks in the corn market and while they took their foot off the gas on Monday he doesn’t think the selling is done.
Grain markets all made new lows for the move on additional fund long liquidation says Randy Martinson with Martinson Ag Risk Management.
Mark Knight with Farmers Keeper Financial says the funds are exiting as the grains have divorced from the crude oil market and are trading weather.
Garrett Toay with AgTraderTalk says the grains fell despite the sharply higher crude oil market but why now?
Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says cattle had a lower week last week on fund liquidation and headlines regarding new NWS cases. However, he’s not sure if the funds are done selling yet.
Jerry Gulke, president of the Gulke Group, says the lower monthly close is especially significant because corn also failed to close above the April high.
Matt Bennett with AgMarket.Net says the broad based selling was tied to lower crude oil markets and headlines from President Trump that the Strait of Hormuz was going to reopened and the U.S. had struck a cease fire for the next 60-days.
A case of New World Screwworm (NWS) only 52 miles from Texas was reported by USDA on Thursday making it the closest detection to the U.S. to date. Brad Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says that is pressuring cattle futures.
The row crop and cotton markets saw some early support Thursday from a rally in crude oil as doubts about the peace deal with Iran came into question.
Grains markets were mostly higher Thursday morning except hard red winter wheat following a bounce in crude oil says Mike Minor with Professional Ag Marketing.
Corn and wheat futures saw more fund selling and long liquidation end of month but it was triggered by war headlines. Chuck Shelby with Zaner Ag Hedge says those markets continue to remove risk premium.
Corn futures are lower again on Wednesday following the easing crude oil market as Iran peace talks continue to progress. What’s holding up soybeans and cattle?
Alan Brugler with A&N Economics, Inc. says the grain market traders are cautiously optimistic a cease fire or peace deal between the U.S. and Iran is near and took out war premium Tuesday.
Joe Kooima with Kooima Kooima Varilek says at least initially it looks like the cattle futures had already anticipated the negative report data with the sell off late last week.
Last week Jerry Gulke, president of The Gulke Group, predicted the highs had been made in the grain markets on May 13. After reading the White House fact sheet on the China trade framework, he says he hasn’t changed his mind.
Mike Castle of StoneX says corn and soybeans added some war premium on Friday but are trading under recent highs. What could trigger a rally to retest those prices?
Scott Varilek with Kooima Kooima Varilek says the pressure came from fund long liquidation and was continuing on Friday with significant chart damage done.
Grains markets were lower seeing speculative selling pressure on a lack of fresh bullish news and profit taking end of month according to Naomi Blohm with Total Farm Marketing.
Jon Scheve with Scheve Grain says the grain markets are looking for bullish news and without China purchases soon have the grain markets put highs in?
Mark Schultz with Northstar Commodity says the market was skeptical about the lack of specifics in the framework before China denied the purchase amounts.
Corn and soybeans face pressure from China trade doubts, fast planting and lower crude oil. Meanwhile, rising interest rates signal inflationary fears.
The grain market failed on profit taking as traders want to see more details on China purchases or flash sales says Brian Grete with CommStock Investments.
Lane Akre, economist with Pro Farmer, says much of the China news is priced into grain futures so to continue to see momentum the market will need to see some proof of purchases.
Mike Zuzolo with Global Commodity Analytics says the $17 billion is above the 25 MMT of soybean purchases China committed to in October of 2025.
Grain and hog futures were sharply higher on Monday morning as the White House released details of the China trade framework on Sunday which includes $17 billion of ag purchases per year.
Did this week’s disappointment regarding the China summit top the grain markets for the year?
Shawn Hackett with Hackett Financial Advisors says the market was removing China premium after the disappointing summit as the market wanted more details on ag purchases.